How to get cheap train tickets in Germany?

Question

I'd like to travel across Germany via train, but I've looked at the Deutsche Bahn website and the tickets seem to be very expensive. Can you book cheap train tickets really far in advance?

I'd like to go over several routes, including Eindhoven-Szczecin, Eindhoven-Flensberg and a return from Hamburg-Munich

Answer 1

They have specials sometimes but i don't think they are always on the page that is translated into English. If you go to the actual German language page of Deutsche Bahn look for special promotions.  Sometimes they just don't have them and you have to pay regular fare. I don't think you can book more than 90 days in advance unless you buy a train pass in the states before you leave, but those aren't cheap either.

Answer 2

try  ltu

LTU    airlines

Answer 3

I go along with 'Jaw surfing's' answer. I live in Germany and often use the special offers for train tickets here. If you check the site carefully, you'll find it's actually not that expensive to get around here and booking e-tickets well in advance is no problem. Viel gluck!

Answer 4

The best place to go is http://www.bahn.de/p/view/international/...

Take a Euro Rail ticket and go across Europe at the lowest price

Answer 5

No, regular train tickets are not cheaper the further it is in advance, they are the same price except when they have sales, sometimes they offer specific routes and sometimes it's the whole country for 29 euros one-way.

Options would be to get a bahn card 25, 50 or 100, you pay a price and then you get that percentage off a ticket. Other options would be a eurrail pass, and at the bigger stations in germany you can get a pass for just germany for around 140 euros for 5 days in 2 months.

Another option would be "schönes wochende" tickets. They cost around 30 euros, they last for one day on the weekend, and up to 5 people can travel on the ticket. One thing though is that they are only good on the regional trains, not ic or ice, so if you want to take a long trip you would have to make transfers and the train would take longer.

In addition to the train, there are also buses and cheap plane tickets, if you don't mind that the airports are wayout of town.

Answer 6

Train is never really cheap.

But if you book via internet and early, then it can work.

Klick on the Sparpreis!

Or check for Regional Tickets or do the last minute thing - always 14 days on advance you can purchase a ticket f.e. HH-Munich or Stuttgart Berlin....for 59 Euros roundtrip!

Maybe you check out taking a bus!?

www. BerlinLinienBus.de

Answer 7

If you are making lots of trips through Germany it might be worth getting a Bahncard 50. It costs a couple of hundred but might save you more than that. Have a look at the DB website and do some calculations...enjoy your time here!

Answer 8

Train tickets are expensive in Germany - there is no way around it.

The one trick you have (Sparticket) has already been explained to you. The other is with regional train tickets, but it will not help you very much as you are going internationally.

There is also the option of Eurail, but it might not be worth it. Check out Rick Steve's site: http://ricksteves.com/rail/rail_menu.htm . He has got an excellent guide to rail prices in Europe and can help you calculate which railway pass you might need.

Note also that Eindhoven is a stop on quite a lot of international bus routes. For example, you could go Eindhoven-Hamburg or Berlin by bus and then connect by train to Flensburg or Szczecin respectively. See http://www.eurolines.com for more info.

http://www.skyscanner.net will help you find cheap flights within Europe.

Answer 9

If you are under 26, a Eurail pass is really the way to go. There is the Youth Benelux-Germany Regional pass (Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Germany) for only $225 for 5 days of travel within 2 months, $245 for 6 days, $295 for 8 days, and $339 for 10 travel days. The number of days does not include days that you stay at a place, only days on which you use the pass as a train ticket. That's less than $50/day! And you can travel whenever and wherever (within those countries) that you want. Also, I have visited Szczecin and it's not far over the German border. All you would have to do if you were going there is buy a ticket from the border (or you can get it on the train for a slight surcharge.. it'll be pretty cheap).

I traveled with a Eurail pass the first time I was in Europe and made up the cost within my first 2 travel days.. and still had 13 days left!

My parents are coming to visit me, and I suggested they get them and myself one. I had calculated ticket costs (with Sparpreis 50.. 50% off.. plus my BahnCard25.. another 25% off that.. and the Eurail pass was still cheaper)